History, Art and Life

Category Weights and measures

Units of measurement for lengths and weights

angula

Aṅgula (अङ्गुल), digit (finger-breadth); basic measuring unit for idols; unit of measurement (cf. Manangula); 12 Aṅgulas = 1 Vitasti; one of the two basic units of measurement, according to the Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa. The other is called Tala. 6 Yavas =… Continue Reading →

ashtatala

Aṣṭatāla (अष्टताल), Measurement of images by eight tālas; measure of ordinary humans

catustala

Catuṣtāla (चतुष्ताल), Measurement of images by four tālas

daṇḍa

stick or staff (डंडा); If it is held by Śiva, it is indicative either of death or of Śiva teaching. Daṇḍa, rod; unit of measurement; 4 Dhanurmusti (26 Aṅgulas) = 1 Daṇḍa and 8 Daṇḍa = 1 Rajju The table… Continue Reading →

dasatala

Daśatāla (दशताल), Measurement of images by ten tālas; measure of major gods

dhanu

Dhanu (Sanskrit: धनु): is a unit of measurement of distance, according to the Vāyu Purāṇa; 96 Angula = 1 Dhanu, 8000 Dhanu = 1 Yojana.

dhanurgraha

Dhanurgraha (धनुर्ग्रह), bowlength; unit of measurement; 1 Dhanurgraha = 27 Angula’s

dhanurmusti

Dhanurmuṣṭi (Sanskrit: धनुर्मुष्टि), bowlength; unit of measurement; 1 Dhanurmuṣṭi = 26 Aṅgulas and 4 Dhanurmuṣṭi = 1 Danda The table shows the different units of measurement in relation to each other: 8 Paramanu = 1 Rathadhūli, 8 Rathadhuli = 1… Continue Reading →

dvitala

Dvitāla (द्विताल), Measurement of images by two tālas

ekatala

Ekatāla (एकताल), Measurement of images by one tālas

kisku

Kiṣku (Sanskrit: किष्कु), cubit; unit of measurement; 1 Kiṣku = 2 Vitasti; There are 4 different cubit (kiṣku) varieties: 1 Kiṣku = 24 Aṅgulas, 1 Prajapatya = 25 Aṅgulas, 1 Dhanurmusti = 26 Aṅgulas, 1 Dhanurgraha = 27 Aṅgulas. The… Continue Reading →

liksha

Likṣā (Sanskrit: लिक्षा), nit; unit of measurement; 1 Likṣā = 8 Valagra and 8 Likṣā = 1 Yuka The table shows the different units of measurement in relation to each other: 8 Paramanu = 1 Rathadhūli, 8 Rathadhuli = 1… Continue Reading →

manangula

Mānāṅgula (मानाङ्गुल), digit (finger-breadth); basic measuring unit for idols; unit of measurement (cf. Angula); 12 Aṅgulas = 1 Vitasti 6 Yavas = 1 Adhama-mānāṅgula (inferior inch measure), 7 Yavas = 1 Madhyama-mānāṅgula (middling inch measure), 8 Yavas = 1 Uttama-mānāṅgula… Continue Reading →

navatala

Navatāla (नवताल), Measurement of images by nine tālas; measure of minor divinities and goddesses

panchatala

Pañcatāla (पञ्चताल), Measurement of images by five tālas

paramanu

Paramāṇu (Sanskrit: द्रोणी, Hindi: परमाणु), smallest unit of measurement; 8 Paramāṇu = 1 Rathadhuli The table shows the different units of measurement in relation to each other: 8 Paramāṇu = 1 Rathadhūli, 8 Rathadhūli = 1 Vālāgra, 8 Valagra =… Continue Reading →

prajapatya

Prājāpatya (प्राजापत्य), cubit of 25 fingers; unit of measurement; 1 Prājāpatya = 25 Angula’s

rajju

Rajju (Sanskrit: रज्जु), rope; unit of measurement; 1 Rajju = 8 Danda The table shows the different units of measurement in relation to each other: 8 Paramanu = 1 Rathadhūli, 8 Rathadhuli = 1 Vālāgra, 8 Valagra = 1 Likṣā,… Continue Reading →

rathadhuli

Rathadhūli (Sanskrit: रथधूलि), chariot-dust; unit of measurement; 1 Rathadhūli = 8 Paramanu and 8 Rathadhūli = 1 Valagra The table shows the different units of measurement in relation to each other: 8 Paramāṇu = 1 Rathadhūli, 8 Rathadhūli = 1… Continue Reading →

saptatala

Saptatāla (सप्तताल), Measurement of images by seven tālas

shattala

Ṣaṭtāla (षट्ताल), Measurement of images by six tālas

tala

the storeys (cf. bhumi) of the vimana or gopura; a unit of measurement for images (Tāla, Hindi: ताल, Tamil: தாலா); In Indian iconometry, the Tāla system of measurement is used for sculpture or casting icons in metal. The face, from… Continue Reading →

ṭaṅka

Ṭaṅka (टङ्क) is a chisel used by the stone-masons of India; also a unit for measurement of weight

trasaranu

unit of measurement

tritala

Tritāla (त्रिताल), Measurement of images by three tālas

valagra

Vālāgra (Sanskrit: वालाग्र), hair-end; unit of measurement; 8 Vālāgra = 1 Liksha The table shows the different units of measurement in relation to each other: 8 Paramanu = 1 Rathadhūli, 8 Rathadhuli = 1 Vālāgra, 8 Vālāgra = 1 Likṣā,… Continue Reading →

Vastu-shastra

Vāstuśāstra (वास्तुशास्त्र) or Vastu-shastra (also Vastu-veda and Vastu-vidya) refers to the knowledge of building science and architecture, i.e. the planning of buildings, the creation of gardens, parks, cities, etc.

vitasti

Vitasti (Sanskrit: वितस्ति), span; a unit of measurement of distance; 1 Vitasti = 12 Aṅgulas The table shows the different units of measurement in relation to each other: 8 Paramanu = 1 Rathadhūli, 8 Rathadhuli = 1 Vālāgra, 8 Valagra… Continue Reading →

yava

Yava (Sanskrit: यव), barley-corn; unit of measurement; 1 Yava = 8 Yuka and 8 Yava = 1 Angula The table shows the different units of measurement in relation to each other: 8 Paramanu = 1 Rathadhūli, 8 Rathadhuli = 1… Continue Reading →

yojana

Yojana (Sanskrit: योजन) is a unit of measurement of distance, according to the Vāyu Purāṇa; 8000 Dhanu = 1 Yojana.

yuka

Yūka (यूक), louse; unit of measurement; 1 Yūka = 8 Liksha and 8 Yūka = 1 Yava The table shows the different units of measurement in relation to each other: 8 Paramanu = 1 Rathadhūli, 8 Rathadhuli = 1 Vālāgra,… Continue Reading →

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